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Try "Udaipur", "tiger", "honeymoon", "Ladakh in July"
A nine-night journey for wildlife lovers along the Western Ghats: elephant forest in Wayanad's Muthanga and Tholpetty ranges, the birds of Thattekad, Nilgiri tahr at Eravikulam above Munnar, and three nights at Periyar for bamboo rafting, forest walks and early boats on the lake.
Kerala's wildlife lives in the Western Ghats, one of the world's richest biodiversity areas, and this journey follows the range from north to south. It begins in Wayanad, whose sanctuary is part of a forest block shared with Bandipur, Nagarhole and Mudumalai, home to one of the largest populations of Asian elephants. Jeep safaris in Muthanga and Tholpetty give excellent chances of elephants and gaur.
After a night in Fort Kochi to break the journey, you climb towards Munnar via Thattekad, the bird sanctuary that India's great ornithologist Salim Ali surveyed, then see the endemic Nilgiri tahr at Eravikulam. The final three nights are at Thekkady, for the Periyar Tiger Reserve, where you explore on foot and by bamboo raft with forest guards. Naturalist guides accompany you in each place.
Highlights
Day by day
We meet you at Calicut International Airport and drive about three hours to Wayanad, climbing the nine hairpin bends of the Thamarassery ghat. Check in at Vythiri Village, set in rainforest with streams running through the grounds, or at Taj Wayanad above the Banasura Sagar reservoir. In the late afternoon, a naturalist leads a short walk in the grounds to look for birds such as Malabar trogons and hornbills.
Leave before dawn for a forest department jeep safari in the Muthanga range of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, which borders Bandipur and Mudumalai. Elephants are seen on most drives, with gaur, spotted deer, sambar, langurs and peafowl, and occasionally a tiger or leopard. After breakfast and a rest, walk a coffee and pepper estate with its owner in the afternoon.
Another early start, this time to the Tholpetty range in the north of the sanctuary, near the Karnataka border, for a second safari. The road passes through forest where elephants often cross at dawn. Afterwards, visit the ancient Vishnu temple at Thirunelli under the Brahmagiri hills. Return in the afternoon for a rest. Sanctuaries can close in the dry season, so check current status before you travel.
A travel day. Drive down the ghat to the coast and south to Kochi, about 6.5 hours with stops. Alternatively, drive 2.5 hours to Kozhikode and take a fast train to Ernakulam, about 3 hours, with luggage sent ahead. Arrive at Brunton Boatyard on the Fort Kochi harbour in time for a walk to the Chinese fishing nets at sunset, where brahminy kites and terns work the water.
Leave Kochi at dawn for Thattekad, the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary near Kothamangalam, about 1.5 hours away. A local bird guide leads you through the lowland forest for three hours, looking for Sri Lanka frogmouths, Malabar grey hornbills, Indian pittas in winter and many other species. Continue up through the hills to Munnar and check in at Windermere Estate in the afternoon.
Arrive at Eravikulam National Park at opening time and take the forest department bus up to the Rajamala section, where Nilgiri tahr, an endangered mountain goat found only in the Western Ghats, graze close to the path below Anamudi. Look out for Nilgiri pipits and langurs. In the afternoon, walk the tea estates and shola forest edges with a naturalist. The park closes in spring for calving; check current status before you travel.
Drive south through the Cardamom Hills to Thekkady, about three hours, with stops for views over the Tamil Nadu plains. Check in at Spice Village, where a resident naturalist leads walks in the grounds. In the late afternoon, walk the edge of the reserve with a guide, looking for Malabar giant squirrels, Nilgiri langurs and hornbills.
Spend the day in the Periyar Tiger Reserve on a full-day bamboo rafting programme with armed forest guards, many from communities who once lived from the forest. The day combines trekking through evergreen and deciduous forest with long, quiet spells on bamboo rafts on the lake, watching elephants, gaur, sambar and otters at the water's edge. A simple lunch is eaten in the forest.
Take the first boat on Periyar Lake at about 7.30 am, when the water is calm and animals often come down to drink, then join a three-hour nature walk with trained guards. In the afternoon, visit a cardamom and pepper plantation. Spend your last evening with the naturalist at Spice Village, going through your sightings list.
After breakfast, drive down from the Cardamom Hills via Kottayam to Cochin International Airport, about 4.5 to 5 hours, for an afternoon or evening flight. If you prefer, Madurai airport in Tamil Nadu is about 3.5 to 4 hours east. Our team in India stays in touch until you are through check-in.
Included
Not included
Where you sleep
A heritage hotel on the Fort Kochi waterfront, rebuilt on the site of a Victorian boatyard, where every room faces the harbour channel and ships pass …
A working cardamom and coffee plantation at Pothamedu, about 3 km from Munnar town, with cottages and a planter's bungalow set on a hillside facing the …
A CGH Earth resort of thatched cottages among spice gardens on the edge of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, built in the style of the area's tribal …
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Questions travellers ask
It is possible but unlikely. Both Wayanad and Periyar have tigers, but dense forest and limited safari access make sightings rare. Elephants, gaur, deer, langurs, giant squirrels and a long bird list are what you can expect. For tigers, central Indian parks are better.
November to February offers comfortable weather and good sightings in all three areas, including migrant birds. February to May improves sightings at Periyar Lake as the forest dries, but Wayanad's ranges and Eravikulam often close for part of that period. We avoid the monsoon months.
Wayanad to Munnar is too far for one day. A night in Fort Kochi breaks the journey comfortably and allows an early start to Thattekad, which lies on the way to Munnar. It also gives you an evening on the harbour.
Yes, for birders. Thattekad, the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, is one of the best lowland forest birding sites in South India, with species such as the Sri Lanka frogmouth and Malabar grey hornbill. A local bird guide is essential. Go early in the morning.
Reasonably fit. Bamboo rafting involves several kilometres of forest trekking, and nature walks last about three hours on uneven ground. Safaris are by jeep. Less active travellers can replace rafting with the lake cruise and shorter walks. Tell us about any knee or back problems in advance.
Yes, but forest photography is challenging: light is low, animals are often partly hidden and jeep access is limited. Elephants at the lake in Periyar and the tahr at Eravikulam give the best chances. A 100–400 mm lens and fast settings help.
Elephants, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, wild boar, Nilgiri langurs, Malabar giant squirrels, otters and Nilgiri tahr are likely. Birds include hornbills, trogons, frogmouths, kingfishers and eagles. Tigers, leopards and dholes are possible but uncommon. Our naturalists keep a sightings list with you through the journey.
From about ₹2,80,000 per person, twin sharing, including hotels, private car, specialist guides, safaris and park activities. Peak dates and upgraded rooms cost more. Flights are extra. We send a detailed quote for your dates. We send a detailed quote with room options once you share your dates.
Yes. Kumarakom is about 3.5 to 4 hours from Thekkady, so two nights at a lake resort and a houseboat can be added at the end, with the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary for more birding, before flying out of Kochi. It adds about three nights.
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